Parting is all we know of heaven
by ChipsPlease
Summary: It wasn't that she hadn't considered that maybe she would run into Roy at University of Central, it was just that she had written it off as a passing whimsy. Kind of. Written for the Modern AU prompt at fma fic contest.


**Disclaimer: Not mine. Title belongs to Emily Dickinson.**

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><p><em><strong>P a r t i n g <strong>_is all we know of _heaven_

_x._

It wasn't that she hadn't considered that _maybe_ she would run into Roy at University of Central, it was just that she had written it off as a passing whimsy.

Kind of.

"Riza?"

Maybe less than kind of.

_x._

She notices that his hair has grown longer, more to the style, as they order at one of those campus cafes. It adds a boyishness to him that she doesn't quite mind.

"So are you going to be attending UC next… wow, are you really going to be graduating this year?"

He adds half a laugh to his question. It's refreshing.

"Maybe… I'm not sure if my father-" she cuts off and then backtracks "-I haven't made my decision yet. But what about you? Aren't you graduating this year from the University?"

"Eh, supposedly," but he grins at her as he says it, as if it were some grand secret between the two of them. She's always liked that about him.

"But," and here his voice gets serious and he looks a little sheepish, so she tries to listen closely, "I think I would like to enlist in the military when I'm done. They want alchemy majors and I really think I could do some good…"

He stops. She knows why. She closes her eyes, leans back a little in her chair, and then smiles.

"I… I think you could do some good too."

_x._

"Now I know what a fascinating subject I am-" she likes that he grins when she rolls her eyes at him –"But there are only so many embarrassing drunk party stories that I have left to tell, and I really think it's your turn."

"To tell drunk party stories?" She twirls some of her ice-cream with her spoon and raises an eyebrow.

"No, not that you should have any, though if you did have one to top the naked Havoc in a trash bag serenading Armstrong with Elton John then I would be impressed… But no, I mean, what's going on in your life? I feel like I haven't heard from you or your father in months…"

She could almost write it off as casual inquiry by the tone of his voice, but his eyes look concerned so she stares down at the tablecloth to avoid his gaze.

"It's nothing, really…"

Her back itches.

"It's just… I heard that your father gave up his teaching position at Paracelsus College, and well… Riza I researched with him for an entire summer. I know that he is sick, and he's a brilliant alchemist but sometimes-"

"It's fine, Roy," she cuts him off and tries to give him a smile, "It's just that his health problems got a little worse a couple of months ago and it's better for him to be on rest now. That's why I really think I should stay back East with him instead of-"

Once more she stops and she hopes he can't see how lost she must look.

"It's fine," and she tries to make her voice sound confident like his.

Roy doesn't look convinced.

_x._

"Say, Riza, do you have a facebook?" he asks as he pushes in her chair (which she always thought was a funny habit of his like how he apologized for the one time he swore in front of her and he's just a little outdated that it's cute) and starts walking with her back to the bus stop that will take her East again.

"What? Oh… no. We're not all that technological in my family, if you remember."

He laughs.

"Oh God, don't tell me your still using that boxy old computer from the 1990s?"

"For your information, it's a 1999 model and it's still running very smoothly thank you very much."

She tries to say it primly, but the smile pours out anyway.

"If you insist. But really, what I was going to say is that we should keep in touch again. I mean when you decide to attend University of Central," and here's a cheeky smile from him which she tries to ignore because realistically – well it was foolish of her to have even visited here, "I should show you the rifle team, they're actually quite good, and I'm not just saying that out of loyalty, I think you'd like it a lot…"

But she can't help but smile and nod as he talks. She thinks she could almost imagine a life here at the University.

Her back itches and she tries to forget.

_x._

The bus comes and before she boards Roy gives her a piece of paper with his new e-mail address on it. The paper smells a little like his cologne and she thinks it's kind of nice.

Kind of.

"Do you think I could visit you sometime after graduation?"

Maybe more than kind of.

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><p><strong>AN: Less AU and crackish than I was attempting, but there you go. Still not entirely sure how happy I am with this piece, but constructive crit is always welcome!**


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